


There Is A Boy

by pretzel_logic



Series: Free of Dogma [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Red Hood: Lost Days
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Crossover, Gen, Winter Soldier POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:17:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3283361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretzel_logic/pseuds/pretzel_logic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Winter Soldier was ordered to kill Egon and his mercenaries. While there the asset finds Jason Todd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There Is A Boy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tigriswolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/gifts).



> Filled for the prompt:  
> Marvel/DCU, Bucky + Jason Todd, the world where Winter Soldier adopted Robin before he became Red Hood

There is a boy.

For all his muscle the boy is essentially a waif; just skin and bones. The asset can tell the boy is trained and trained exceptionally well. Should a fight occur the boy would lose from a lack of stamina than skill. Not that the boy could match the asset in combat but that there would be a fight at all speaks volumes.

What is a well trained boy doing in the middle of Egom's base? He is too old to be a product, too young and mistreated to be one of Egon's men. Perhaps a hostage kept weak to ensure Egon's business remains unbothered but then, to whom does the boy belong? A young recruit that balked at Egon's product seems more likely but then, why let the too old boy live?

The boy moves so he stands between the asset and the children. His expression is that of resigned defiance. He is aware of his chances should the asset attack and yet, he refuses to abandon the children to save himself. The asset is impressed despite his conditioning to be emotionless. A weapon does not need emotions, they are a flaw of living things and the asset has been dead for a long time.

The asset remembers being alive once. There was a boy back then as well. His body was too small, too frail and sickly for the lionheart inside. The sense of admiration for that boy and this boy is the same. The asset is... uncertain of what to do. His mission parameters do not cover this situation. The asset is malfunctioning.

Egon and his men saw the children as a product, the handlers agreed. Let the authorities handle the children. This boy is not an authority. He is not one of Egon's men either. With Egon and his mercenaries dead, the asset should return to his retrieval coordinates. The Winter Soldier wants to take the boy with him. The handlers will only kill the boy (or worse). 

There is only one solution. The Winter Soldier will take the boy with him but, not to his handlers. The asset will follow the boy's lead once they are at a, temporarily, safe location. The soldier wants the familiarity of the boy's lionheart, craves it in a way that is a flaw in the 'perfect' weapon.

"Come," orders the legendary assassin and is pleased when the boy follows.

Outside the boy takes in the destruction and corpses calmly, a sight he is used to then. "You do all this?" The boy finally asks, pretending indifference.

"Yes."

"Good," the boy spits out in vicious hatred and rage. "I found out about the kids. Tried to stop them, tried to kill them all." His laughter is cruel and self-mocking. "I'm out of practice and sloppy. Got caught. Least I didn't get blown up this time."

If the boy survived an explosion once before his body does not show the scarring of it. He is a boy soldier and a dead part of the asset seethes. The Winter Soldier is far more practical about the matter.

"Then I will train you to be better."


End file.
